Adaptation
by Sammy Heroes
Summary: It is a long process towards a new life, towards full redemption, towards learning to live with his unsteady hands. But Stephen couldn't achieve it whole if he didn't forgave himself first. Hints of Christine x Stephen. (Cloak is in it too! Rated T)


**Adaptation**

 **Summary: It is a long process towards a new life, towards full redemption, towards learning to live with his unsteady hands. But Stephen couldn't achieve it whole if he didn't forgave himself first. Hints of Christine x Stephen.**

Stephen carefully washed his trembling hands. The cold water helped to ease the pain on his articulations. He winced when he reached out to turn off the current. He dried his hands and carefully let them rest on his sides. He looked at his naked chest in deep thought. It seemed that only yesterday he was a self-absorbed, arrogant doctor and now he was a less self-absorbed, less arrogant doctor turned sorcerer. The path to redemption indeed was long. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and sighed. It seemed that only yesterday a man in an expensive tuxedo finished styling his hair and now a tired looking one replaced him with a different hair style and (oh, how would his past self-react) a beard. At least, it was one good-looking beard. Stephen smiled a little at the thought. It would have been hilarious to see how he would react in a different time. But he wouldn't use his powers recklessly.

He carefully raised his hands and exanimated them with his medical eye. They never stopped trembling. The pain was usually gone during the day since he was using his powers to keep the pain away, but unfortunately, it did not worked with the trembling. The pain, however, was always present in the mornings. He sighed and concentrated on channeling his energy toward his hands. Within moments, the pain was gone, but the trembling did not.

He was slowly growing accustomed to it. But the process of adaptation was long and painful. Maybe this was what he deserved for years of arrogance. And at the same time, he was getting too much good from it.

Christine was too much, too good for a sinner like him. To be able to keep her in his life… he didn't understand. Couldn't understand, how she had stayed with him in his darkest hour and then shutting her out. Only to return to ask her help and she agreed without a second thought. He did not deserve to have such friend. He did not. How had he been so blind in all the years he had known her? So blind to her affections… but he had been too arrogant and too proud to truly see.

His hands shook, but not from his condition. He was sobbing. His whole body shook as he sobbed and cried quietly. Maybe he had also been too blind before to have this revelation.

He looked back at his hands. They were messed up, any other average human would say. Poor man, they would say. Stephen was not a man who dwelled on pity, but he had to admit, his hands were indeed, a mess. The scars that traced his fingers might as well belonged to some kind of Frankenstein.

But he had to adapt. He had to. This was his life now. He was Stephen Strange, he would adapt.

But it was hard to do so.

His hands would not get a proper grip on objects such as books or even pens even with magic. After too much time holding them he would eventually drop them by accident. He had reached the point where he was afraid to touch anything that might slip from his fingers and break it.

He knew Wong had noticed. He knew because of the extra help he was getting from him. ' _I'll carry that', 'don't touch that, you idiot!', 'I'll take care of it, you go take care of your princess hands_ ', were some of the things he would say every time he helped. That was just how he cared.

He put on his robes and exited the bathroom. Cloak was waiting for him outside and quickly inspected his face, carefully drying up the tears. "Stop that." He told her and Cloak quickly attached herself to his back. He carefully descended the stairs and made his way to the kitchen and to his great surprise, Christine sat there with two mugs of fresh coffee, pancakes and watermelon.

She smiled at him. "Good morning, Dumbledore." She joke and took a sip from her own coffee.

Stephen chuckled. "Good morning, Christine. And may I ask, what are you doing here?"

"Little old me? Wong gave me a spare set of keys. Don't tell him."

"No, I mean, what are you doing here, in the kitchen?"

Christine rolled her eyes. "I thought you were smarter than that. I made you breakfast."

Stephen sighed. "You didn't have to, I am perfectly capable of fixing some food for myself-"

"Wong told me you haven't been eating well because it gives you a lot of trouble to cook something for yourself. And that you are too stubborn to ask for help. God, Stephen! You are a doctor! You should know better than to starve yourself and neglect your body." She said.

Stephen said nothing. She was right. How could he have neglected his own body necessities? He gave her a small, playful smile. "I didn't know Wong cared so much."

"This is serious, Stephen. Now sit here and eat." Christine said in a commanding voice that even made Cloak flinch. Stephen sighed and did as told. He _was_ a little hungry… "Stephen, look at me…" She took his trembling hand. "Don't be afraid to ask for help. I know there are some things that became harder for you to do, but don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be too proud, ok?"

"I'm not being proud, Christine, it's just…"

"Just what?"

"I just want to do things on my own. Like I always did."

"I know, Stephen. And you can still do so, but some things, you might be better off asking for help."

"Are you saying I'm a bad cook?" Stephen smirked.

"Honey, you were never a bad cook. But you weren't the best to begin with. Now eat before it gets cold."

Stephen took a bite out of the pancakes. Christine had always been the Chef Supreme between them.

Maybe this was part of the adaptation process, letting others help him when he needed.

"Christine?"

"Mh?"

"Thank you. For everything and for sticking up to my bullshit all this years." He also had to accept the fact that even though he wouldn't get his old life back, he still had Christine. She will always be too good for him. He didn't deserve her.

"Don't mention it. Now eat before it gets cold."

"Whatever you say."

They ate in silence. It was a welcoming one, Christine wasn't one to make conversations while she ate and that was one of the many things he liked about her. She was a woman who enjoyed her food.

Every once in a while, he would notice Christine glance at his hands. They still trembled. "How are you copping with it?" She quietly asked.

"A little better. I really don't want to talk about it." He said as he finished his breakfast and took the plates to wash them.

Christine took hers and tried to take Stephen's. "No, I'll do it."

"I'm not completely useless, Christine, you said it yourself." He smiled at her.

She smiled back. "Ok, then."

Stephen took her plates. "I'll do it. You go to work."

She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek. She exited the kitchen without looking back at the man whose cheeks glowed a slight shade of pink. A piece of red cloth patted him on both cheeks, teasing him, making fun of him. "Stop that." He told Cloak.

Maybe he could reach full redemption and adapt. Maybe there was a chance for him after all.

"Make sure not to scratch your princess hands!" Christine said as she opened the front door.

Stephen frowned. "Wong got you into that too?" All he heard was her soft laughter and the door closing behind her.

Maybe he had a shoot at adapting.

 **Tell me what you thought about it. I hope they all stayed in character. Review!**


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